CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
EDUCATION
Igor Babailov's fine art education (1974-1990) belongs to the acclaimed Russian-European Academic school of art. In the direct lineage of the Academy he is a third generation descendant student of the world famous Russian masters: I. Repin, V. Serov, K. Korovin, A. Arkhipov and V. Favorskiy. They taught K.Yuon, D. Kardovskiy, I. Grabar, A. Deineka, S. Gerasimov, renowned artists who taught Mr. Babailov's professors. Babailov studied directly under V. Zabelin, A. Danilichev, S.Andriaka, M. Kugach, V.Sherbakov, V.Zavgorodniy, I. Gorbunov, I. Shatskiy, S.Chirkov, A. Kholmogorov, one of the world's greatest art historians M. Alpatov and other distinguished artists and professors of Fine Art.
Curriculum of studies included intensive training in
- Human Anatomy (The Anatomical Studies of the
Human Form, as the fundamental of the most
challenging form in visual art).
- Composition: The Master Rules
- Studio Life Painting: Still-life, Cast, Portrait, Torso,
Nude Figure, Clothed Figure, Group Model setting, concepts of colors and tonal values
- Studio Life Drawing: Still-life, Cast, Portrait, Torso, Nude Figure, Clothed Figure, Croup Model setting, exercises in anatomy, proportions, chiaroscuro
- Plein-Air Practice (national and international travels, outdoor Portraits, Landscapes, etc. all from life)
- Technology of Painting and Painting Materials ( studied under prof. O.B. Pavlov,
great-grandson of the great 19th century Russian painter A. Savrasov
- Studies of the Masters Techniques
- Official Museum Copies (with the obtained official permissions of the Ministry of Culture, to study the originals and to make identical copies )
- World Art History: Painting , Sculpture, Architecture from Pre-historic Art to Contemporary
ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS
Surikov State Academic Art Institute (a.k.a. Surikov Academy of Fine Arts) of the Russian Imperial Academy of Arts (est.1757).
1979 - 1983 Fine Arts Diploma and High School Diploma, Moscow Academic Lyceum of Arts under the Russian Academy of Arts.
(Honors graduate, receiving Professors Recommendation for special admission to the
Surikov Academy)
1974 - 1978 Fine Arts Certificate and Diploma, Preparatory School of Fine Art, Glazov, Russia (Honors graduate).
SELECTED AWARDS & HONORS
by the International Academy of Culture and Art
2006 Honored by the Vatican with the special sitting with Pope Benedict XVI for the Papal Portrait.
2004 Portrait of Pope John Paul II ("Believe") is displayed in Castel Gandolfo by the personal decree of Pope John Paul II.
2004 The painting "For Gold, God and Glory" is permanently included in the Peruvian Encyclopedia, Empresa Editora Il Comercio,S.A
2003 Honorary Member, Drawing Society of Canada
2002 Honored with the title "Living Master" by the Art Renewal Center (ARC)
2001 Honorable Mention – Portrait Competition, International Artist Magazine, Australia
1999 Honorable Mention – Portrait Competition, The Artists Magazine, U.S.A.
1997 The Merit Award – “Realism '97 International Art Competition, Parkersburg, WV
1994 Grand Prize Winner – American Society of Portrait Artists Competition
1993 Award “For Outstanding Achievement in Portrait Painting” – National Portrait
Seminar – American Artist Magazine
1992 Selected to create a Cover for the book "From East to West"
1990 Selected by the National Academic Committee to be one of the few to represent the Russian Academic schools in the Exhibition in Scotland. Participants included the graduates of the Surikov Academy, the Repin Academy and the Stroganov Art Institute.
1989 First Prize Winner – Annual Graphic Works Competition, Surikov Academy of Fine Arts, Moscow, Russia
1989 Selected to draw the portraits of Russian Celebrities, such as: A.Rosenbaum, I.Resnik, L.Dolina, E.Shifrin, B.Moiseev, to name a few.
1988 Selected by the Surikov Academy as one of the best academic works, Mr. Babailov's archived portrait is to be represented in the permanent collection of the Vietnam Academy of Art.
1983 Honors Graduate, Surikov College of Fine Art. Professors’ Recommendation for special admition to the Surikov Academy of Fine Arts.
1981 Top Award for the portrait "Egorka" in the National Art Colleges Competition, judged by the renowned Russian Artist F. Reshetnikov
1979 Selected out of thousands in the Nation-wide competition for the only vacancy at the prestigious Surikov College of Fine Art in Moscow.
LECTURED & DEMONSTRATED
Present The Russian-American Academy of Art – Master Workshops
for Art Professionals and Art Students
America’s Leading Exclusive Lecture Agency in New York
2009 Portrait Society of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
2006-2008 Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists (Stage Painting
Demonstration & Lecture, critiques)
2005 Tennessee Arts Academy, Belmont University (Lecture)
2005 Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists (Stage Painting
Demonstration & Lecture)
2004 Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists (Stage Demonstations,
Workshop & Judging of the Portrait Show with
Dr. Marcus Burke, Curator, Museum, Hispanic Society
of America, New York City)
2003 Bellport Art council, Long Island, NY (Master Workshop/
Demonstration)
2002 Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto (Stage Portrait
Demonstration, Canadian Society of Portrait Artists Festival)
2000 Preparatory Art College, Glazov, Russia, (“Mastering yourself” Lecture)
1999 Florence Academy of Art - Florence, Italy (Instructor of Figure Painting in Oil, Summer Program) The International attendance of students included the art students from Four Continents.
1999 Cincinnati Art Club, 2nd oldest Art Club in the USA (Demonstration for at least 100 people & a Master Workshop)
1999 Private instruction to Sayaka Yamaguchi, the student from Tokyo, Japan
1999 West Coast Portrait Society – Sacramento, CA USA (Master Workshops, Demos)
1997 West Coast Portrait Society – Sacramento, CA USA (Master Workshops, Demos)
1996 West Coast Portrait Society – Sacramento, CA USA (Master Workshops, Demos)
1995 American Society of Portrait Artists – USA (Lecture/Painting Presentation)
1994 Ontario College of Art - Canada (Lecture & Slides Presentation)
1990 -1993 Master Workshops, Loyalist College, Ontario
SELECTED LIST OF PRESENTATIONS & EXHIBITIONS
2009 Unveiling of the portrait of George Washington, Mount Vernon Museum, Mount Vernon, VA
2009 Unveiling of the portrait of Reggie Jackson, Baseball Hall of Famer, New York
2008 Unveiling of the portrait of Justice Joseph P. Sullivan, The Supreme Court, New York
2008 Unveiling of the portrait of Pope Benedict XVI, Washington, DC - Vatican, Rome
2008 Unveiling of the portrait of Tiki Barber, American Football Star, New York City
2007 Unveiling of the portrait of Frederick Hart and his Cross of the Millennium, collection Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, Washington, DC
2007 Unveiling of Portraits of Bob Costas and Bill Gallo, Waldorf Astoria, New York City
2006 Solo Exhibition, The Gallery at Summerlin, Las Vegas
2006 Presentation of preliminary sketches to Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican
2006 Unveiling of the portrait of Isadore Sharp, Founder&Chairman, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
2006 Unveiling of the portrait of Boomer Esiason, New York City
2006 Unveiling of the portrait of John Bello, New York City
2006 Unveiling of two portraits at the Indiana University Art Museum.
2006 Regional Museum Exhibition on Life and Works of Igor Babailov, Glazov, Russia
2006 Unveiling of Portrait of Dr. J.W. Streilein, The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard
2005 Unveiling of James Gandolfini's portrait, Waldorf Astoria, New York City
2005 Official presentation of Frederick Hart's portrait, Russian Embassy, Washington, DC
2005 Unveiling of the Portrait of Byron Janis, Steinway Hall, Steinway & Sons, New York City
2004 State Portrait Presentation to Pope John Paul II, Vatican
2003 Portrait Presentation to Regis Philbin, New York City
2003 Portrait Presentation to Gouvernor Yves Fortier, Hudson’s Bay Company
2002 State Portrait Presentation to President George W. Bush, The White House, Washington, DC
2002 Portrait Presentation to Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, New York, NY
2002 State Portrait Presentation, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Parliament Hill
2002 State Portrait Presentation to President V. Putin, Moscow, Russia
2002 State Portrait Presentation to V. Tretiak, Moscow, Russia
2001 State Portrait Presentation to Nelson Mandela, Ottawa, Canada
2001 Portrait Presentation to Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chretien
2001 Solo Exhibition and Launch of the Russian Sponsored Book, Russia
2000 State Presentation of the Portrait of M. Kalashnikov, Central Armed Forces Museum, Russia
2000 Unveiling of the Portrait of Dr. R. Kilmura, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
1999, 98, 97 Art Auction, Alzheimer Society (Benefit)
1999 Solo Exhibition, Ogilvy’s Ltd., Montreal (Benefit for Emmanuelle Masson School
for disabled children)
1999 Art Auction, Unicorn Children’s Foundation, Palm Beach, Florida (Benefit)
1999 Annual Exhibition of Portrait Brokers of America, Inc. (Conference) .
1996 Joint American-Russian Art Exhibition, Kolomna (dated 1078), Russia.
1996 "Vernisazh" Solo Exhibition, HEIM America at Fisher Island Gallery, Florida
1995 Solo Exhibition, Metro Toronto Convention Center, Toronto
1995 Art Auction, Shaw Festival, Toronto (Benefit)
1993 Solo Exhibition, Portraits Inc. Montreal
1992 International Foundation for Peace Through Culture, Ottawa
1989 Glasgow College of Art, Scotland
INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL RELATIONS (Selected list)
2008 Unveiling of the portrait of Pope Benedict XVI, Washington, DC - Vatican, Rome
2003 Pre-Unveiling tour of the portrait of Pope John Paul II (New York-Montreal-Toronto-Vatican)
2002 State Portrait Presentation to President V. Putin, Moscow, Russia
2002 State Portrait Presentation to V. Tretiak, Moscow, Russia
2001 State Portrait Presentation to Nelson Mandela, Ottawa, Canada
2000 Preparatory Art College, Glazov, Russia, (“Mastering yourself” Lecture)
1999 Florence Academy of Art - Florence, Italy (Instructor of Figure Painting in Oil, Summer Program) The International attendance of students included the art students from Four Continents.
1996 Organized the very First Official delegation of American artists to Russia in conjunction
with the DUMA (Russian Parliament) and the Union of Artists of the Russian Federation. The agenda included trips to the Art Museums of Moscow and St. Petersburg and Plein Air painting with the group of prominent Russian artists, resulting in the joint Art Exhibition, featured in print media.
1992 International Foundation for Peace Through Culture, Ottawa
COLLECTIONS
Igor Babailov created over 2,000 portraits and hundreds of other works. More than half of these are in distinguished public, private and corporate collections around the world. They include:
CORPORATE & OFFICIAL ( Selected list )
Albert College
Boston Eye & Ear Hospital
Bush Presidential Center
Central Armed Forces Museum, Russia
Clinton Presidential Center -
Consulate General of Russia - Montreal
Contrans Corporation -
Corporate Planning Associates -Toronto
Cramer, Rosenthal, McGlynn, LLC - New York City
Essroc Cement, Inc. - Portrait of Harvey McFarland
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts - Full Length Portrait, The Lobby of the Headquarters Building
George Washington's Mount Vernon Museum, Mount Vernon, VA
Giuliani Partners, LLC - New York City
Harvard University, Medical School, Cambridge, MA
House of Commons, Canada - Heritage Collection, Gallery of Prime Ministers
Hudson’s Bay Company (est. 1670) - Hall of Fame, Portraits of Gouvernors
Hummingbird Communications
Indiana University Art Museum
Indiana University Foundation
Kremlin, Moscow, Russia - Presidential Collection
Kurosawa Productions, Tokyo, Japan
McDonald's Corporation,
Monmouth University - Six portraits in the Portrait Gallery, New Jersey
National Bank
Reitmans Inc.
Rhone - Poulenc Rorer Inc., France - U.S.A,, Philadelphia, PA
Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School
Somiper Inc. Canada
Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation Japan
Steinway & Sons, New York City
Synergistics Industries Ltd. Toronto
The Supreme Court of the State of New York
The White House, Washington, DC
Vatican Museum, Vatican
Vietnam Academy of Art
World Leaders, Distinguished Families & Personalities ( Selected list )
His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
His Holiness Pope John Paul II
President and Mrs. Nelson Mandela, South Africa
President of the United States of America, Hon. George W. Bush
George Washington, 1st President of the United States of America (Collection: Mount Vernon Museum)
His Excellency V. V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation
Prime Minister of Canada, the Rt. Honorable Brian Mulroney
First Lady Hillary R. Clinton
United States Senator and Mrs. Douglas Henry
Senator Michael Pitfield, Canada
United States Senator Herman Moore
Prime Minister of Canada, the Rt. Honorable Jean Chretien
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York
The Honorable Joseph P. Sullivan, Justice, the Supreme Court of New York
Dr. Michael Novak - U.S.Ambassador to UN Human Rights Com., American Enterprise Institute
Governor Y. Fortier - Hudson's Bay Company, est.1667)
Mr. Archie W. Dunham, CEO, ConocoPhillips, Houston,TX
Mr. & Mrs. Fred "Ted" W. Lazenby, Kennedy Center, Advisory Board, Washington, DC
Madame Lucie Vanier Vincent, niece of The Rt.Hon. Georges Vanier, The Governor General of Canada
Mr. Frank Military, Warner Chappell Music, NYC
Mr. Byron Janis - Steinway Pianist
Maria Cooper Janis - daughter of Film Star Gary Cooper
Mr. Isadore Sharp, Founder & CEO of The Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Mr. & Mrs. Regis and Joy Philbin - TV Personality, Creator of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire"
Mr. James Gandolfini - Actor
Dr.'s Allan Sniderman - Renowned Cardiologist
Mr. Boomer Esiason - American Football Star
Mr. John Bello - Founder of SoBe beverage
Mr. Reggie Jackson, Baseball Hall of Famer
Mr. & Mrs. Dolph von Arx
Mr. Gerald Cramer - New York City
Mr. & Mrs. Peter McConnell
Mr. & Mrs. R. Regelbrugge
Mr. Tiki Barber - American Football Star
Dr. R. Blackwell
Mr. & Mrs. David & Julia Bianchi
Mr. Bob Costas - 17 Emmy Award recipient
Mr. George Cohon, CEO, McDonald's Corporation
Mr. & Mrs. S. Ross
Mr. & Mrs. Lebow
Mr. Mikhail Kalashnikov - Legendary Inventor of AK-47.
Mr. & Mrs. A. Lemire
Mr. & Mrs.L.Desmarais
Mr. & Mrs.Lawrence D. Glaubinger
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Steinberg
Ms. Aziza Mustafa-Zadeh - Jazz Maestro
Mr. Robert "Bobby" Hull - Hockey Legend
Mr. Peter Quaife - "The Kinks", Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame
Mr. Vladislav Tretiak - Hockey Legend
Ms. Natasha - granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev
Mr. Boris Moiseev - Entertainer
Mr. Ilya Resnik - Songwriter
Ms. Larisa Dolina - Russian Pop Star
Mr. Efim Shifrin - Russian Comedian
Mr. V. Vinokur - Russian Entertainer
Mr. & Mrs. Ignat Solzhenitsyn - son of Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
FEATURED IN (Selected List)
Present Marquis Who’sWho in America
2008 National Review's feature by Michael Novak
2008 Vatican Insider with, EWTN
2008 New York Daily News
2006 Life Interview with TV Channel 3 News, Las Vegas
2006 Global news of the portrait of Pope Benedict XVI, newspapers, interviews
2006 TV news of infringing copyright of Babailov's paintings by China
2006, 2005 The Russian Nobility Ball, New York City
2005 "Quest" Magazine, New York City
2005 A Taste of Thailand, Washington, DC
2004 "In Focus" Magazine
2004 EWTN Global Catholic Radio (live interviews), U.S.A.
2004 Moscow Times, Russia
2004 Robb Report Magazine
2003 New York Family Magazine - U.S.A./International
2003 "Live with Regis & Kelly" TV Show
2003 Dan’s Papers – Long Island/Manhattan
2003, 2002 New York Times, Brooklyn Papers, New York – U.S.A.
2002 Globe and Mail - Canada
2002 National Post - Canada
2002 Magazine Art - Canada
2001 PRIMO (Italian-American) Magazine - U.S.A.
2001 Udmurtia, book on the Udmurtia Region, Russia
2001 “Contemporary Russian Realists”
1999 The Finer Things in Life – U.S.A.
1999, 98 The Artist Magazine – U.S.A.
1998 Focus Magazine – U.S.A.
1997 Classical Realism Journal – U.S.A.
1997 Selecta Magazine – U.S.A.
1996 CJOH TV News
1996, 95, 94 Portrait Signature – U.S.A.
1995 Solo Exhibition, National TV News, Canada
1995 Featured in the film-documentary about Alla Pugachyova, Russian Pop Star
1989 "Moskobskiy Komsomolets", National Newspaper (featured with the portrait of the Winner of the international Jazz competition in Washington, Aziza Mustafa-Zadeh), Russia
1989 Glasgow College of Art Exhibition Catalog, Scotland
ESSAYS by Igor Babailov
2005 The SEVEN Essentials to Commissioning A Portrait
2001 Why We Must Keep The Traditions Alive ‘International Artist’ - Australia
1999, 98 ‘The Artist’s Magazine’ – USA
1997 Keeping the Academic Tradition - ‘Classical Realism Journal’ – USA
1996, 95, 94 ‘Portrait Signature’ – USA
1982 Before Impressionism and after.
FILMS on the Artist
DVD “Igor Babailov” directed and produced by Matt Bush Productions – nationally televised in Japan for the World Celebrities Art Fair – Starlight Starbright Foundation (Steven Spielberg – Chairman Emeritus)
BOOKS
"The World of Igor Babailov", by V. Zakharov, sponsored by the business and political elite of the Udmurt Republic, Russia. Published in 2001
‘Paulina the Sky Girl’ co-authored and illustrated by Igor Babailov – a children’s fiction novel on fighting bullying in schools. 2003
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists, Advisory Board
International Child Art Foundation (ICAF), Washington, DC, Advisory Board
Portrait Society of America, Inc., Patron Member
Canadian Institute of Portrait Artists, Senior Member
Drawing Society of Canada, Honorary Member
Canadian Society of Portrait Artists, Member
Portrait Institute, New York, New York, Charter Member
American Society of Portrait Artists, Member